CHICAGO (WLS) — The Greater Grand Crossing community came together on Friday night to pray for peace and to discuss an action plan for reducing violence in the city.
This all comes after a second innocent bystander who died Friday following a shooting Monday at 71st and State Street was identified as 47-year-old Jon Rucker.
“Even though we have to talk through the prism of pain, we’re also going to talk through the window of possibility,” said 6th Ward Ald. William Hall.
Hall has been leaning hard on his faith after a heavy week of loss in his ward.
“Without faith, nothing is possible. So the work we are doing is centered around love. That is our least-common denominator,” Hall said.
Rucker and 59-year-old Simon Brown were shot Monday evening near 71st and State streets.
Brown was buying a lottery ticket for his wife when he was shot and Rucker was hit while using a nearby ATM. Brown died at a hospital and Rucker died on Wednesday.
Police said 53-year-old Trivell Pruitt was charged with first-degree murder connected to Brown’s death. Investigators said he exchanged gunfire with another man after an argument. Brown and Rucker were struck by the gunfire.
Pruitt was among two others shot. Police are still searching for the second shooter, who allegedly injured Pruitt.
No charges have yet been filed in connection to Rucker’s death. Chicago police did not have immediately have an update on charges on Friday night.
Hall is hoping his South Side community uses its faith to work together to reduce violence during a worship and action gathering set for this evening at Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist Church.
“We are together. We will get through this,” said Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist Church Pastor John T. Boston II.
Boston said a message is being sent by faith, business and community leaders following this senseless violence.
“It says, ‘This community will not accept that this is normal.’ We will find a way forward,” Boston said.
Ald. Hall has introduced a three-part action plan centered on serving and supporting one another and staying spiritually connected to hopefully reduce violence. He is confident it will work.
“We work together by simply being nosey neighbors. We have to get back to sitting on the porch. We have to get back to looking out the kitchen window. We have to get back to calling each other,” Hall said.
As the community prepares to work together, a judge has ordered Pruitt to stay in jail as he awaits trial. He’s expected back in court March 19 for preliminary hearing.
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